The top 10 winners of the Future Africa Leadership Award, an initiative of the Oyakhilome Foundation Initiative, have been awarded a total grant of $125,000 to promote development initiatives of their respective countries.

The Senior Executive Officer of FALA, Olajumoke Ola-Akinsanya, disclosed this during a media briefing in Lagos on Thursday.

Speaking on how the winners emerged, Ola-Akinsaya noted that 30 winners were selected from the nomination received by the organisers and their applications were screened to select the best 10.

She added that each of the 10 recipients was supported with $10,000  while the overall best winner got an additional $25,000 grant as the star prize.

“After nominations have been received, the criteria have to do with the project and the impact it is having and how innovative the project is. When we are talking about innovation, we are not talking about copying and pasting something from somewhere outside Africa, we are looking at something that is doable and self-sustaining. By the time we have that, we then come up with different stages to come about with the winners.”

Mariama Gendemeh from Sierra Leone emerges as the Star Prize Winner of FALA 2023.

In her reaction, the overall winner of the star prize from Sierra Leone, Mariama Gendemh, said the grants would help her foundation to contribute to solving food security issues that had ravaged her country and also contribute to other socio-economic problems in Sierra Leone.

She said, “The company is not just focused on food security alone; we are using agriculture as a powerhouse to implement the initiatives through the provision of foods for the malnourished kids. Our farm produce are not for sale, they are meant to serve as a community food project which we have embarked upon. The farm is just there as a powerhouse to help us implement our project. this grant will help us to expand on our activities.”

The pan-African organisation, Future Africa Leadership Foundation (FALF), established by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome Foundation organisers of the Future Africa Leaders Awards said no fewer than 123 recipients from across 30 African countries spanning five regions, who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in solving problems for the continent have won the prestigious awards in the last 11 years and grants totaling USD 1,340,000 spent to drive change across Africa.

Member, Central Executive Council Loveworld Nation, Pastor T.T. Temisan who disclosed this at the official unveiling of the 10 overall winners and the star winner of the 2023 Future Africa Leaders Awards (FALA) at the prestigious Providence by Mantis Hotel, Ikeja Lagos, said the awards is committed to identifying, nurturing, and empowering young African leaders to make positive impacts in their communities.

According to him, over the past decade, FALF has been a leader in youth development, equipping them with essential skills and resources to drive change in their various communities and countries.

“The award continues to pick its change agents across the five regions of the African continent through their initiatives in the areas of health, sanitation, agriculture, entrepreneurship, youth empowerment, technology, advocacy for justice and good governance in building a better continent.” Pastor Temisan said.

He added that in the past year, the Foundation has working with its youth ambassadors (past winners), identified and supported more than 77 million young individuals across the 54 African nations.

“FALF made an extraordinary contribution of N500 million to the expansion of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta, Ogun State as part of its commitment to empowering Africa’s future leaders and preserving the rich heritage of Nigeria,” he said.

He noted that the FALF Masterclass summit streamed on Kingschat and the FALF website, with an impressive participation of 8 million young individuals from 54 African countries, adding that the summit has served as a catalyst for inspiration and empowerment, promoting a renewed sense of hope and driving positive change on the continent.

The Foundation also had meaningful engagements with governmental stakeholders with among others, the former Nigerian President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; the first female President in Africa, Madame Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia; former President of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan; Physician, activist, and former African Union Ambassador to the United States, Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao; former President of Malawi, Her Excellency Dr. Joyce Banda; Nobel Laureate and distinguished peace activist from Liberia, Dr. Leymah Gbowee and Speaker National Legislative Assembly Republic of South Sudan, Dr Jemma Nunu Kumba, all of whom exemplified the voice of change on the continent.

 The pan-African organisation, Future Africa Leadership Foundation (FALF), established by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome Foundation organisers of the Future Africa Leaders Awards said no fewer than 123 recipients from across 30 African countries spanning five regions, who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in solving problems for the continent have won the prestigious awards in the last 11 years and grants totaling USD 1,340,000 spent to drive change across Africa.

According Pastor Temisan, the Foundation broke new grounds in North Africa and have established enduring connections in the Maghreb region, while through its recently established FALAGRO Ltd., it is collaborating with the FALA ambassadors to generate employment for 72,483 young individuals within its network and is building new crop of young agriculturists to spearhead greenhouse farming initiatives and provide transformative opportunities for youth in the agriculture sector across Africa.

To bridge the knowledge gap for leadership in Nigeria, FALF established the FALF School of Learning Initiative and established the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Centre in Mayo Wandu, in Adamawa State, Nigeria to bridge the digital divide in rural communities.

“This pioneering facility has empowered over 12,079 young people through consistent training in ICT skills, enabling them to become active participants in the digital age.

“These laudable projects reflect the Future Africa Leaders Foundation’s unwavering commitment to equipping and empowering young African leaders with the necessary skills and knowledge to create a significant impact in their communities and beyond.”

The Future Africa Leaders Award (FALA) is an annual prize awarded to 10 African youths who have contributed significantly in their local communities through innovation, societal education on local and global issues, developing solutions to combat societal issues, advocacy, social education and societal awareness.

FALA was established in 2013 and is organized every year by the Future Africa Leaders Foundation, a sub-organization of the Chris Oyakhilome Foundation International (COFI). The Award recognizes the role of young leaders as drivers of progress and development in Africa, and therefore only youths in Africa between the ages of 16 - 23 qualify as recipients.

The selection process commences within the year where entries are submitted on the Foundation's official website, after which a review and verification process is initiated till a final list of 30 is shortlisted and presented.

It is awarded to 10 youths each year across Africa between the ages of 16 - 23 by the patron of the foundation and host of the Award ceremony, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome.

Among the ten winners each year who receive $10,000, a star prize winner emerges from them receiving an additional $25,000.